Police will monitor use of force vigilantly

Disproportionate use of force will be addressed accordingly, says Acting Commissioner of Police Mohamed Hameed.

In a tweet published by the acting CP, he said all internal mechanisms will be activated to review every instance a police officer uses disproportionate force, and necessary action will be taken. He noted that the issue has been discussed in the public domain for several years.

Earlier on Wednesday, detained former president Yameen Abdul Gayyoom was brought to state-run Indhira Ghandhi Memorial Hospital upon which several of this supporters gathered at the hospital. The crowds had to be broken up by the police with the use of pepper spray, for which the police are being criticized for by opposing Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

During the former president's regime, several of his opposers had held protests and demonstration. The opposition then had accused the police of using disproportionate force in dealing with the gatherings, hurting several people in the act.